Cal. Civ. Code § 170-15-3-3
Action on complaint
Operative Text
Sec. 3. (a) If, after review, the commission's consumer affairs division determines that the landlord has failed to comply with the requirements of IC 8-1-2-1.2 or this rule, the consumer affairs division and the commission may require one (1) or more of the following remedies: (1) Require the landlord or association to adjust its sub-billing practices prospectively. (2) Require the landlord or association to refund, as outlined in 170 IAC 15-2-5, payments that exceed the amount sub- billed if the sub-bills had complied with IC 8-1-2-1.2 or this article. (b) A landlord or an association is regulated as a public utility under IC 8-1-2 if: (1) the landlord or association has not provided the records and information necessary to determine compliance with this rule within fifteen (15) days of a request or a longer period agreed upon with the consumer affairs division; or (2) the landlord or association has failed to comply with a previous determination by the consumer affairs division within ninety (90) days or a longer period agreed upon with the consumer affairs division. (c) A public utility is required to file its rates and charges under IC 8-1-2-38 and obtain commission approval of any changes to its rates and charges under IC 8-1-2-44 or the rates and charges are considered unlawful under IC 8-1-2-44 and cannot be assessed on the landlord's tenants or the association's members or co-owners. A landlord or an association may recommence sub-billing under this article if it corrects any deficiency under this subsection or receives a determination from the consumer affairs division permitting sub-billing under this article.
Under 170 IAC 15 § 170-15-3-3, when Indiana's Utility Regulatory Commission's consumer affairs division finds that a landlord or association has not followed sub-billing rules, it can order prospective billing corrections and refunds of overcharges. If a landlord or association fails to provide required records within 15 days of a request, or fails to comply with a prior determination within 90 days, they may be regulated as a full public utility under IC 8-1-2. Once treated as a public utility, the landlord or association must file rates for commission approval, and any unapproved charges are considered unlawful and cannot be passed on to tenants or members.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Operators who sub-bill tenants for utilities should be aware that 170 IAC 15 § 170-15-3-3 gives the consumer affairs division authority to mandate billing adjustments and refunds when sub-billing practices fall short of statutory requirements. Compliant operators generally respond promptly to any records requests from the consumer affairs division—within the 15-day window or an agreed extension—and act on any prior determinations within 90 days to avoid being reclassified as a regulated public utility. Landlords who have been reclassified can resume sub-billing under this article only after correcting identified deficiencies or receiving explicit permission from the consumer affairs division.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Under 170 IAC 15 § 170-15-3-3, tenants who believe their landlord's sub-billing practices violate Indiana utility rules may file a complaint with the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission's consumer affairs division, which has authority to investigate and order refunds of overcharges. If a landlord fails to cooperate with the division or comply with its determinations, the landlord can be reclassified as a public utility, meaning any unapproved charges assessed to tenants may be considered unlawful. Tenants seeking to understand their options under this provision may find it helpful to consult a tenant-rights organization or review the commission's publicly available complaint process.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated October 15, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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